The Glass Menagerie IV

Tennessee Williams uses devices such as foreshadowing in her story, The Glass Menagerie. Tom's eventual abandonment of the family is actually alluded to several times in the story. The greatest way William's foreshadows this event is through mentioning Tom's father, whom also abandoned the family. Several times Tom mentions his envy of his father's route in life. He even tells Amanda that if he was selfish, he would leave just like their father.  Amanda constantly compares the two men, no doubt worried Tom will follow his father's example. She accuses him of being a drunk like his father, and makes him swear he will not. Amanda even compares the two during conflicts, expresssing to Tom during a fight that "More and more you remind me of your father! He was out all hours without explanation! Then left! Goodbye!" (Williams, 1252). Tom even compares himself to his father when he tells Jim of his plans to run away and leave his family behind. The repetitive comparision between Tom and his father foreshadow Tom's eventual departure from his family.